Never Suffer Rivals
by Death7270
Summary: A harsh lesson is imparted and taken to heart. Now comes the next phase of his life, will the newly battle hardened and much scared Laurita Tohm be up to his mentor's efforts or will he perish. A new take on a fantastic comic. SciFi Star Wars AU. Adult .
1. Fun-claimer

**Fun-claimer**

* * *

_G-Day,_

I must admit I'm a more a 'Star Trekker' than a 'Star Wars Fan'.

I love the movies but like the comics more so. Especially the Vader comics. I like it when the uber powerful dark lord of the sith is acting human (of sorts anyway).

So when I got really pissed at the implied ending of "Star Wars - Darth Vader and The Ghost Prison", a fantastic Dark Horse comic I suggest you all go out and read soon as possible, I made up my mind to continue it.

Be warned, and I warn only once, adult themes, sexual situations and lots of long winded drama will be occurring in my writing.

So sit back and have a read.

Regular updates to be expected.

_Death7270_


	2. ARC1: Death & Learning

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or it's characters. Wish I did but. ;P

* * *

"**Never** suffer rivals."

These were the last words I heard before I began to fall. It was so fast, so quick, but so very decisive. I begged, a moment before gravity asserted it's dominance over me.

At first all I could hear was my scream. But as I drew a breath I heard the wind hiss by my ears. I could feel the g-force push at my skin as I hit terminal velocity. I stopped screaming and simply watched as Lord Vader's form grew smaller until I was so far way I could no longer even see the balcony I had been thrown off.

I twisted around until it felt like I was standing in the slipstream. In basic training we had been told to guide our descent with our bodies only this time I had no jet pack or aerofoil to save me. I saw only darkness below. The occasional light from a window in the mega scraper only an arms distance away from me. Even if I could reach out and grab onto something the force would rip my arm from its socket. Tearing the remaining limb from my already scarred body.

I gazed down as the air grew denser. I had started off in the blue of the skyline and was now passing the foreboding blackness of the mid layer. I could see in the distance the burning orange of the lower levels. It was pure luck that I had not already hit something. I could feel the air grow denser as I was nearing the bottom. I closed my eyes and flipped headfirst, speeding up my decent, no point in suffering the momentary pain of crashing feet first.

A vibrant green light lay ahead (and my death). Time slowed, my eyes focused on the green light of the barren earth. Luminesce from all the radiation dumped onto the planet's surface.

I bathed in it and hit...


	3. ARC1: Reborn & Rivals

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or it's characters. Wish I did but. ;P

* * *

I bathed in it and hit... nothing.

My face was less than an inch from the earth. I reached my hand out and touched the surface.

Cold, as if metal.

I drew my hand back and fell on to the balcony at the feet of Lord Vader. My hand slightly outstretched still. If I was had been standing I would have sworn I had been touching Lord Vader's cowl.

"The force is weak in you, you have no gift or my mind trick would not have worked."

I could not stand as my body tried to come to terms with my mind realising I was not dead and if what was said was true it was all an illusion.

"What, why?" I stuttered.

"My master thinks you a worthy successor to me." Vader turned to the skyline "Though while the force is weak in you, you still have the power. However you will never be in my league. If you had been you would have truly perished at my hand."

I stood "What now?"

"You will continue to serve me and while you are not MY rival, in a few years should you continue to progress you most certainly will be Grand Moff Trachta's".

"Once again, with gratitude and humility I serve you"

"So be it. Go, command your men. Destroy our enemies, defeat you rivals. I will guide you when you need."


	4. Authors Note 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or it's characters. Wish I did but. ;P

* * *

So we are now in uncharted territory. We have our reshaped ending and it fits perfectly into the comic. Now all we need to do is make it fun. Expect bigger chapters.

Please note. I intend to have fun with this, some will not like it and most will not think it canon. But then what could have been could be and vice versa.

To clear up one thing. Rank. (No including code cylinders)

During the comic Laurita Tohm was a Lieutenant and had a double row badge 2 red 2 blue.

In the report he called himself Commander Laurita Tohm (I assume after the Emperors' incident he was given a field promotion to commander skipping the rank of captain).

Towards the end he was raised to the rank of admiral by the emperor after reading the report.

However in his death scene his bade was a double row 4 red 4 blue. This would indicate (following cannon I believe) he would be general in the imperial army not the navy. I therefore assume that means commander or Moff and his actual badge would be a 6 red by 6 blue as admiral. But he had not yet been given the rank as Lord Vader killed him (or so it looked like).

So I'm going to use the basic system in the "Star Wars The Essential Guide To Warfare (2012)" to make everything simple.

* * *

**Ranks:**

Grand Moff 6 by 6

Moff 5 by 5

Admiral/General 4 by 4

Captain/Commander 3 by 3

Lieutenant 2 by 2

Midshipman/Ensign 1 by 1


	5. ARC2: Prepare 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or it's characters. Wish I did but. ;P

* * *

After the harrowing experience I went back to my quarters. I let all that had occurred sink in.

I summarised it as follows:

_Lord Vader would not hesitate to kill me, be it a threat to the Emperor or himself he would do so without hesitation. (Grey area)_

_Lord Vader, at this time, does not see me as a potential threat. (Good)_

_The Emperor sees me as a potential successor to Lord Vader. (Very Good but equally bad.)_

_Lord Vader identified Grand Moff Trachta as a real threat to my future career (My rival)_

_Lord Vader will help me on some level. Thought I do not how that will work out. (Good?)_

I decided to trust in Lord Vader as I had burned the trust Trachta in me with the exiles bombing, little did he know the true duplicity of that event.

Retiring for the night I awaited my deployment.

* * *

The following morning as the service droid served me breakfast there was a beep from the door.

"Enter" The door opened and Captain Shonn Volta entered.

"Good morning" I said

"Same to you Commander" I smiled

"Admiral now"

"Wow you know how to go up the ranks. Must be the fastest promotion career for anyone direct out of the academy."

"If this keeps going I will be Grand Moff by next week." I laughed as did she. It would be a while till we were needed and I invited her to join me for breakfast, as she sat I asked what brought her to me at this hour. I had only wished her well the day prior.

"I have been assigned to be under your command. My exact roll is unclear as I have not been given a unit to captain, the order came from Lord Vader himself. It simply stated 'watch his back, let no rival harm him'. I suppose I am your personal bodyguard."

I smiled "I have a unit for you to command in mind."

"Which is?"

"Another time, I need to head to the palace. At the moment I am an admiral without a fleet and commander of one very beautiful but highly deadly soldier."

I could have sworn she blushed but it was very hard to tell with her skin.


	6. ARC2: Prepare 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or it's characters. Wish I did but. ;P

* * *

We left soon after finishing our meal, she was like a little child pestering me for more details on what I knew. In between gawking at the sights around. As with me this was the basically the first time either of us had been on Coruscant. A transport ship carried us to the newly refurbish hall of justice. A troop of 501st escorted up to the main atrium. After the terrorist invasion the security measures had been tripled on the surface and quadrupled underneath.

Lord Vader stood before a miasmic containment value inspecting its installation. It would stop a virus attack should one occur again. I had my doubts he knew its exact engineering. Even the highest commander may never know every aspect of his command. But as we waited for him I saw him flick out his hand and push several components into place with his powers,

"Admiral Tohm" his mask hissed, not turning around "while I may not know everything in the universe it is advisable you should know how everything works when you rely on it to keep you alive. From the blaster you use to kill your foes to the air filtration system you need to breath with."

I bowed deeply and apologised.

In my head I heard a clear voice "Do not fret, if it were any other they would be dead, but you for now are special. I have served on the front lines more than the rear ones, and while most Moff's consider me a thug, a brute who only knows how to kill. I am still their superior commander. Do you think our emperor, my master, would let a thug lead even if that thug was their blood much less their apprentice?"

I realised I had crossed an invisible line but acknowledged that what I knew of the Emperor, he was not one for mindless destruction.

"Another lesson learned, very good."

I blinked and Lord Vader put the last part into valve. A technician screwed the face panel over the devise before departing.

"Ah captain Shonn" He rasped "So good to see you at your post."

Shonn saluted.

"I have something for you." He raised his hand and a blaster flew across the room. Shonn caught it mid-air and hefted the weapon. "It's a DT-57 heavy blaster pistol, General Grievous favoured this weapon in the clone wars. It packs a heavy punch and is unwieldy to those without strength but those with the force and strength are more deadly than any bounty hunter sharp shooter. I have customised this trinket myself. It will not fail you take care of Admiral Tohm."

Shonn holstered the blaster and saluted once more.

Lord Vader turned to me. "Your orders are simple. You will lead a specially organised fleet, you will have no Moff or sector commander, you will report to no one bar myself or the Emperor. Your goal, for this is no mission, your goal is to reach the Nor-Ka-Tia they are a race of nomadic insectoid cyborgs that dwell in the abyss of the nether sphere. They feed off the ebb of hypernova's making them extremely difficult to reach. I once encountered a band of them as they travelled from one food source to another, they are loyal to those they consider worthy."

"What will you have me do?"

"You are to bargain with them. The empire has 4 star systems that will go hypernova in the next hundred years. We control them. The Nor-Ka-Tia may have them in exchange for their allegiance. The power from these systems would feed their race for the next 10,000 years."

"As you wish. It shall be done." A code cylinder flew across the room and landed in my hand.

"Inside is all the information I have on the Nor-Ka-Tia. While they may be able to harness the energy they still need to find a source. They most likely are still seeking a new source at this time as the Emperor and I have not sensed a hypernova in the last twenty cycles."


	7. ARC2: Prepare 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or it's characters. Wish I did but. ;P

* * *

We were dismissed from the Atrium and travelled back to my apartment in the garrison. When I had left the Garrison had been deserted but on our return there was a bustle of activity. As we landed a Storm Trooper Officer saluted.

"I am Major Falcon Peters, I lead the 961st Special Missions Battalion and have been placed under your command Admiral. 512 troopers and 100 officers sir have been quartered in this garrison awaiting deployment. A further 32 troopers and 4 officers have just arrived, they are not under my command and have been ordered to report to Captain Shonn sir. Three squads of sharpshooters and one heavy weapons squad have been placed under you command by Lord Vader. No offence mam but a memo stated it was to better perform your duty."

I smiled "Understood major has the special platoon been housed in the garrison?"

"No sir, they have been quarter as per instructions in the junior officer's level below the senior officer's apartments. I'm unsure why sir since you are the only senior officer quartered here. My officers have always been quartered with my line troopers so it was no inconvenience to us. I myself am in the senior NCO room on the first level."

"Good, what is your banner name?"

Major Peters smiled "9-6-1 Reavers, Sir! Unto death do we plunder!"

"Does the special platoon have a designation?"

"No sir, newly formed sir, call sign Tohm 4400."

"Very well have your Reavers and the 44-hundred assembled for inspection in one hour, full combat ready. Dismissed."

Peters snapped to attention before running back towards the garrison. His 4 company commanders in his wake.

"Well Captain Shonn, It seems you have a private army for yourself to command as you see fit."

"Well Admiral Tohm I cannot wait to have your Praetorian Guard ready. You must be the only Admiral to have one."

"Lord Vader assembled them himself they are most likely some of the best men and women of the empire. Or at least the ones that did not make it into his 501st."

Shonn giggled and waited for the troops to amass.


End file.
